Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-10-20
ENGINEERS BROTHERHOOD.
Chief Arthur's Address at the Opening o
the Annual Convention.

| CHICAGO, october 19.-Ihe Brotner-
hood OF Locomotive Engines opened its
annual convention in Central Music Hall
this afternoon. Following is the address
of Grand Chief Engineer Arthur:
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen:
After lapse of nineteen years, agree
ably to the expressed will of our organizes
tion, the Brotherhood of Locomotive En-
gineers is again permitted to greet the
good people of the great city of the lakes.
Perhaps, to some, our coming convention
to your city will be OnlyR grand meeting
of another army of fanatic laborers, but
we believe to most people, and certainly to
the reading public, we are known as an
organization of honest men, having honest
intentions, which we ever have and shall
ever execute in straightforward, honest
manner. We are enemies only to wrong
in its various devices and garbs, and can
assuredly say that political schemes and
aspirations have no place nor part in our
association. A mighty army of men, rep
representing three hundred and siXty-fve
/ divisions, has gathered about nucleus
Of twelve men, who, twenty-four years ago,
assembled in the city of Detroit and started
an organization destined to be more than
| they knew or dreamed. To-day We number
| twenty-five thousand men, and while our
numbers are great we would not have You
consider only the quantity, but the quality
as well. To be a Brotherhood man, four
things are requisite, namely: sObriety,
truth, Justice and morality. This is our
motto, and upon this precept have We based
our practice
Last year, in convention, We deemed it
best to slightly chauge our plan OF insur-
ance so as to bring it within the reach OF
all. We now claim to have the cheapest
and the best-the most satisfactory insur-
ance in existence. We have paid out dur
| ing the fiscal year Just closed, to widows
and orphans, S259, 800, making total OF
| 81, ,244, G69. 81 that we have paid since the
association was established in December,
| 1867. At the close of the last fiscal year
we had /. l.444 members: died during the
year, II; disabled, Il; forfeited, lS3; and
had on September lst d, 2S7, showing q net
gain OF ,SiS. Our Journals circulation
mas now reached ~, 600, from which we
derive revenue Of $, 1922, $40 year.
| During the year Your chief executive has
travelled over fifty thOusand miles OF terri
tory adjusting grievances and attending
union meetings.
Taking all things into consideration, our
relations, both To ourselves and with the
various railroads employing Brotherhood
men, are amicable. When we &C Dsider the
dissatisfaction which is everywhere mani
| fest about US, our few troubles pale into
inSignifcance. The spirit Of dlscOntent
walks unchallenged from ocean to ocean
across our broad continent, whispering
greedily into the ears of men, More,
more" And so the cry is taken up and
repeated until it becomes dea!ening roar.
| 1t is short stride from the word 10 the
deed, and every day in our papers we may
read the result Of this discomfort. Labor
| of all kinds, from the most menial to the
most skilled, with that cry still ringing in
their ears while their judgment sleeps, has
risen up and refused to work, preferring
| no pay 10 little pay. And with what re-
suit? Defeat, disaster and despair.
There have been times and incidents
when the strike" was the only court Of
appeal for the workingman, and the evil
lay in the abuse of them. The methods
used to bring about a successful terlnina-
tiOn of strikes, the abuse of property and
| even OF persons, has brought the very name
| into diSrepute, while the troubles of the
!aboring men are rapidly receiving mere
cant, and sympathy for him is dying out.
More and more clearly defined is the line
becoming which divides the honest man
satisfied with Just remuneration which he
has truly earned by his own effort, he
can rise TO a higher position in
life-and the loud-vOiced "bomb thrower"
who, scarcely able TO speak the English
Language, seeks TO win his C.u comfNrta-
be living from those who have worked for
it, presuming upon the imagination ard
arousing false hopes in the hearts of those
who are still more ignorant thau himself.
Among sensible men the day for all this is
past Let mercy season justice and JUS
tice be tempered with moderation" A
wise arbitration looks TO long result
rather than to immediate satisfaction, and
aCcomplishes more than intimidations ever
can hope to do Our first father earned
his bread by the sweat Of h's brow, aud
from that ancient time to this enlightened
age there has been discovered no honest
way other than this.
1t is not my intention 10 impose upon
this convention any dogma upon the drink
question. But cannot refrain, in honesty
to my own convictions, from deplOring the
sad havoc that intelnperance ia making in
the ranks of our iellowmen. So great is
this evil that no man or woman who is
striving TO improve their fellows can help
taking it into account. 1t is indeed an
important lactOr Tor evil ia our midst. Not
only from the physics! aud moral stand
point is il working mischief, hut from the
standpoint OF labor. The man who has
80 little self-control that lie cannot resist
the temptation 20 degrade himself, is
always in danger of bringing disgrace upon
his brethren. He loses his self-respect
and 10 some e4tent, his independence, thus
making an easier victim 10 the greed of a
selfish employer would, therefore, urge
upon YOU the necessity OF abStaining from
everything that will in the slightest de-
gree impair your gsefulneSs as citizens or
your efficiency as locomotive engineers.
Be frugal and industrious; practice econ
Omy: save YOur earnings; make the best
use You possibly can OF your time and tai
ent.
l wish to publicly thank the various di-
visions for their many acts of courtesy,
ard extend the same to my associates in
office, who labor diligently TO aid me at
all timen ia the various departments of our
official business congratulate you upon
the success of the past year, and would
admonish you to he ever on the alert for
the best interest of the cause which you
have espoused.
\ SeT su+amer Hotel.
PARKERsBURG, October i9,-superia-
tendent A. L. Purinton and Principal v.
" Innritt ara two of q cnmnanr nf ten